As a new school year gets underway, teachers across the nation are back in their classrooms, offering everything from lessons to hugs, from encouragement to discipline, and let’s face it: They don’t always get the credit they deserve. But TLU alum Katie Gawlik had only been teaching for two years when her campus celebrated her outstanding work as an educator by naming her Rookie of the Year for 2026.
“Being named Rookie of the Year is significant to me because it recognized the hard work, growth, and dedication I put into my first years of teaching,” said Gawlik. “It was especially meaningful because Tradition Elementary is where I student taught and where I have grown so much as an educator.”
After graduating from TLU in 2024, Gawlik found an enduring home at Tradition—one of East Central ISD’s elementary schools on the outskirts of San Antonio—where she’s now beginning her third year of teaching second grade.
She credits TLU with giving her a sound footing on which to build her career. “I think TLU’s education program stands out because the smaller setting allowed me to build deep connections with my professors and peers,” she says. “I felt comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and growing as both a student and future educator.”
And she’ll soon be back on campus at TLU to take part in a one-day conference for future educators, in connection with this year’s Krost Symposium, which is centered around the science of learning. Gawlik will join fellow alumni working in the field of education to share some of what she’s learned since graduating, presenting her talk “Inspired to Teach: Driven to Grow.”
“My biggest piece of advice for future educators is to never stop learning and growing. You don’t have to have everything figured out right away,” she said. “Do not be afraid to ask questions, take risks, learn from your mistakes, and remember why you chose to teach in the first place. Teaching will not always be easy, but it is so rewarding.”
Those rewards come in many forms for Gawlik—from having a positive impact students, to being recognized for hard work, to forming relationships with the little ones who come into her classroom every day. “The highlight of my day as an elementary school teacher is hugging my students when they walk in each morning,” Gawlik says. “Every day is a fresh start and a new opportunity to learn, grow, and make a difference in these kids’ lives.”
